Dive Brief:

• Alibaba plans to establish an international version of its e-marketplace Taobao, which operates much like eBay, to cater to consumers worldwide in several languages.

• The company runs the international marketplace Aliexpress, but it is currently a wholesaler.

• Alibaba founder Jack Ma revealed the plans Thursday while speaking at an Internet industry conference in China.

Dive Insight:

Alibaba was busy with expansion plans and investments even before its massive IPO left it flush with cash to spend. There are many issues that could hamper Alibaba’s success internationally, especially in the form of a marketplace, but this move makes sense for the ambitious retail company.